New fitness center making it easy for people to return to work
MENANDS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A new gym has officially opened its doors in Menands, and for many, it’s not too far from their office desks. Worksite Fitness is owned and operated by Capital Region native Ben Brickman, a Marine veteran, and Syracuse alumnus.
The gym is on the third floor of Riverview Center on Broadway in Menands, and Brickman said he was thrilled to share his fitness passion with others. A few months ago, the space was just an old warehouse area, but now it’s a fully decked-out gym.
Brickman said he hopes to bridge the gap in the current workforce shortage. He said that not everyone built a home gym in their basement when the pandemic struck, and this change in health can be a barrier for people looking to return to work.
Brickman also said he wants to make it easier for companies to offer health and fitness as a “perk” to returning to work. “If anything, COVID should be a call to action for everybody,” he said. “You don’t have to be a superstar athlete but do something, get out and move a little bit because even a little bit of movement can help you out.”
His mission is to make fitness easily accessible to as many people as possible by
overcoming the barriers to fitness which include convenience, experience, and price,
and to meet their fitness goals where they work.
“We’re a part of these small businesses and startups from initial inception to moments
like today, celebrating a grand opening,” said Kathy Caruso, Executive Director McNulty
Veteran Business Center.
“Transitioning from the service back to mainstream life can be confusing,” said Amy
Amoroso, Director of the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) for Region II. “We
help provide the resources vets need to make beautiful dreams like Worksite Fitness
happen. I couldn’t be more proud of Ben and his team for what they’ve built here.”
“Albany County welcomes another Veteran Owned Business to the region,” said Ken
Secor, Director of the Albany County Veteran Services Bureau. “Veterans bring what
they’ve learned in the service to help make small businesses flourish, and elevate the
local economy. We congratulate Ben on his new venture.”
“We’re so excited to welcome Worksite Fitness to Menands. Ben grew up as a resident
of Menands, so I have known him and his family for a long time. I could not be prouder
of him for starting this business in his hometown,” said Mayor Megan Grenier, Village of
Menands.
“My goal all along has been to help people get fit. Meeting people where they’re at
makes a difficult journey a little bit easier. I chose the Riverview Center because I
believe there are a lot of people who want to be healthier, but they just can’t find the
time in their busy schedules to do so.” said Ben Brickman, Owner of Worksite Fitness.
“Covid-19 showed how important it is to be physically fit. To lower our chances of
complications from this and other diseases, it’s vital to focus on personal wellness. I
created Worksite Fitness to help make that possible for the occupants of the Riverview
Center and the people in my community.”
More here for specific hours and classes at Worksite Fitness.